六合 (liùhé): the six directions (north, sout…

Meanings

1 the six directions (north, south, east, west, up, down)
2 the whole universe, everything under heaven
3 (as Lùhé) Luhe District in Nanjing, Jiangsu

Characters

六

Examples

他的名声传遍六合。

Tā de míngshēng chuán biàn liùhé.

His fame spread throughout the entire world.

南京的六合区盛产雨花石。

Nánjīng de Lùhé Qū shèngchǎn Yǔhuāshí.

Luhe District in Nanjing is rich in Yuhua stones.

Tips

history

In classical Chinese cosmology, 六合 = the four cardinal directions plus 上 (above) and 下 (below) — i.e. 'all of space'. Famously, Sima Qian wrote that Qin Shi Huang 'swallowed up the 六合' (吞二周而亡诸侯,履至尊而制六合). As a place name, it is read Lùhé.